The 2023 campaign for northeast Georgia area girls soccer teams had its moments.
The Towns County girls fell in the Class A Division 2 title match to fellow Area 3-A D2 foe Aquinas. The Commerce girls (Class A D1) made the semifinals, while the White County girls advanced to the Class 3A quarterfinals.
However, none of the other 11 girls teams that made the Georgia High School Association playoffs made it out of the second round. But it took high-caliber teams to knock out several area teams.
Buford lost to eventual Class 7A state runner-up Walton; Jackson County fell to Class 6A state champion Roswell; Lumpkin County lost to Class 3A state runner-up Bremen; and East Jackson and Union County lost to the state champion and runner-up in Class 2A.
Coming into the 2024 season, there are questions for several teams for sure. But there also is a slew of young talent waiting to show their skills on the pitch this season. The regular season starts for most area teams on Tuesday.
Towns County has had one of the more productive runs in northeast Georgia over the past three years, with a championship game appearance last year after back-to-back semifinal showings in the old Class A Public.
The Lady Indians graduated four starters from last year’s group but do return nine that saw significant action, including several that started. However, several of their key players will be tied up during the end of the basketball season.
Seniors Emma Lallement, Brelan Sieveking, Brittany Perez, Cheyenne Doche, Halie Arrowood, Elizabeth Edwards, and Laura Mauldin will be leaned on as they try to continue their deep runs in the playoffs.
“Last year was a special season,” Towns County coach Clay Livingston said. “We lost four great players, but we will look to our seniors to try and continue (our) amazing run.”
The key challenge for the Lady Indians will be inside their own region, where Aquinas knocked them off for both the region title and in the Class A D2 championship match last season.
Commerce also has had a solid run over the past two seasons, with a state championship game appearance in 2022 (Class A Public) and a Final 4 showing last season (Class A D1).
However, the Lady Tigers may be poised for their best season ever. They return eight from last year to start the season, with the possibility of getting back dynamic goal scorer and SB Live National Player of the Year and the 3-time Georgia High School POY in Ivy Tolbert, who suffered a broken leg during football season. Tolbert is just shy of 300 goals for her career.
But even if Tolbert, who is expected to miss at least the first three weeks of the season while continuing to rehab, is not able to return, they are still loaded.
Three-time All-State center back Sarah English, along with All-State players Rylee Allen, Arely Ledesma, Madison Sanchez, and Nataly Calderon, all are back.
“This will be, by far, the deepest and most athletic team that we have had at Commerce,” Commerce girls coach Scott Tolbert said. “We will be young, but we believe this team is better than our Final Four team from last year. Obviously, a player like Ivy gives us a better chance, but our expectations are to once again win the region and play for a state championship, regardless of who is out there on the pitch.”
While they do have plenty of upperclassmen experience, the Lady Tigers freshman class also boasts three all-state players: Claire Hollars, Belle Gary, and Jasmine Diaz.
Cherokee Bluff could be a team on the rise. The Lady Bears, who advanced to the second round in the Class 4A playoffs last season, return seven seniors and eight juniors, all of whom got significant playing time last year.
However, some off-season injuries and several key players still playing basketball have made finding any sort of consistent starting rotation early in the season a challenge for coach Heath Padgett.
“We have a great group of veterans ready to work, and we have seven freshmen that, all combined, can be used in a lot of different places for us (on the field),” Padgett said.
“It may take us a while to find a consistent lineup just because of the early injuries, the girls still playing basketball, and just seeing what we have in the younger players. But our goal is to go as far as possible.”
For White County, who finished third in Region 7-3A last season, it has the makings for a slight rebuild after graduating six seniors, including the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, Hazen Ramey, and the bulk of their defensive backline.
Despite the key personnel changes, coach Megan Runkle said nothing changes as they try to make their 11th consecutive playoff appearance in 2024.
“Our expectations are to make it back (to playoffs),” Runkle said. “With returning only half our starting lineup, we are looking to our upperclassmen to step into some new roles. But I think we have a cohesive group of girls all focused on achieving that same goal.”
Senior Adelynn Knight returns in the midfield and is White County’s all-time assists leader. Juniors Lilly Gann and Grace Bythewood are also back in the midfield.
The biggest holes to fill will be on defense, where senior Brianna Blihovde is the lone returning starter at the center-back spot. Two returning sophomores, who started as freshmen, are back in Emma Windham (attacking midfield) and keeper Sophia Gatti.
“Having Sophia back with an entire season of experience under her belt is a huge advantage as we build a new backline,” Runkle said.
The Buford girls finished second in Region 8-7A and should contend for a region title once again.
Jackson County won Region 8-6A in 2023, with Habersham Central taking second. However, Region 8-6A was swept out in the first round last season. Both teams, along with North Forsyth and Gainesville, should be in contention for a region title and state playoff berths in 2024.
The Jefferson girls finished second in Region 8-5A last season and are expected to be among several teams to challenge for a region title.
